1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed toward an improved method for use in making profile pieces from profiles and to a machine for carrying out the method.
The invention is also directed toward specific profile blocks used on the machine to clamp profiles and to a method and a system for making frame units using the machine with the profile blocks.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn. 1.97 and 1.98
Profiles are rigid, construction members having various cross-sectional shapes that are cut, and otherwise worked, into profile pieces which are used in industry to form various products. The profiles can be formed by different processes such as extruding, roll forming, molding, pultrusion, planing, etc. The profiles can be made from different materials or even combined materials such as, for example, co-extruded plastics or thermally broken aluminum profiles. Usually, the ends of each profile piece are cut at an angle which varies depending on the angle of the assembled corner between adjacent profile pieces and/or the assembling method. If the two cut ends of two profile pieces have to match exactly when abutting, both ends have to be cut at the same angle. If the two cut ends of two profile pieces do not have to match exactly when abutting, they can be cut at different angles such as, for example at 30.degree. and 60.degree.. Usually the ends are cut at 45.degree.. After the ends are cut, the profile pieces can be end-milled, punched or drilled, or have a combination of these operations, or other operations, performed thereon. The profile pieces are then joined together by suitable fastening means. Often, the profile pieces are used to form frames.
It is known to provide machines to cut the profiles into profile pieces of desired length with the ends of the pieces mitered at 45.degree.. One such machine uses a single cut-off saw blade the angle of which is adjustable. The saw blade can be set at an angle of 45.degree. to the left or right of center. The saw is typically a chop-type saw with the blade movable up and down about a pivot. The saw usually has a fixed clamp on each side of the saw blade for holding the profile. The single cut-off saw blade cuts the profile at a 45.degree. angle to form a profile piece and a profile remainder with adjacent cut ends. However, if more complicated operations, such as double miter cuts to form the cut end on the profile piece into a pointed mullion end, are required, the profile piece must be unclamped, repositioned and clamped again before a second cut can be made. If other operations on the cut end, such as drilling, are required, the profile piece must be unclamped and moved to another machine where it is again clamped in position for drilling. All the clamping, unclamping and movement of the profile piece are time consuming and inefficient.
It is also known to provide machines having two saw heads that can be moved relative to one another for cutting profiles. One head can be fixed while the other head moves, or the heads can move in unison toward or away from each other relative to a central, vertical, datum line. The angle of the saw blade on each saw head can be changed. Fixed profile clamps are provided on each head. Once this machine is set up, with the saw blade on one head at 45.degree. left, for example, and the saw blade on the other head at 45.degree. right, for example, and the saw heads the required distance apart, all that is necessary is to clamp the profile in the heads to cut a profile piece with miter ends and of the required length. However, this machine is still limited in the operations that can be done on the profile piece. More complicated cuts require at least one head to be unclamped, the head repositioned, and reclamped; or to have the profile unclamped, repositioned and reclamped. The profile piece must be moved to other, separate machines for drilling or notching operations which requires additional handling of the pieces thus slowing production.
It is further known to provide a machine with a set of tool heads arranged in series, one tool head at each work station, that can perform different operations, including cutting, in sequence on the profile elements. For example, machines are known where a profile is moved to one work station having a tool head which is a saw head; clamped and miter cut left by the saw head at the leading end; unclamped; moved along to a second work station having a tool head which might, for example, be a drill head; clamped and drilled by the drill head at a specific location; unclamped and moved along to a third work station having a tool head which is again a saw head; clamped; and miter cut right to produce a profile piece. If desired, this profile piece can be moved to other work stations, in the same machine, or in another machine, for further drilling and/or for notching and/or for other operations. This type of machine greatly increases productivity but still requires a lot of handling of the profile elements particularly when moving them between the various work stations. The elements must be moved to a separate work station for each operation requiring much clamping, unclamping and movement. In addition, such machines are very expensive with all the work stations required, each with their own clamping means and work head. The machines also require a lot of floor space with the work stations linearly arranged.
Another problem with known machines, when making miter cuts, is that the length of the profiles in the machine is always measured along the same edge or surface of the profile, no matter what shape the profile has. This edge or surface can be what ends up as an outside edge or surface on profile pieces to be used in a frame which frame will fit into another frame where the length of its profile pieces is also measured as an outside edge or surface. Or, the measuring edge or surface of the profile can be what ends up as an inside edge or surface on profile pieces to be used in both inner and outer frames with the inner frame fitting in the outer frame. In either case, because both measured edges or surfaces end up either inside or outside the frames, depending on how the machine is set up, one of the adjacent edges or surfaces of the inner and outer frame members is not the measured edge or surface and thus the adjacent edges or surfaces may not exactly match if the height of the profiles are not within specific tolerances.
A further problem arises in forming products from two or more profiles. Such a product could, for example, be a frame that requires four profile pieces in its makeup. The profile pieces may differ as to length, or in the manner they are formed for fastening to each other. The different profile pieces needed to make the product, such as a frame, need to be formed, collected, sorted, moved and stored at an assembling machine where the required profile pieces are then set up in the machine in the shape of the product and then fastened together. The forming, collecting, sorting, moving and storing of the different pieces takes time and is inefficient.